mayor lee, and it seems like we might have a quorum with the board of supervisors. i'm sure there is no work getting done over there today because we have been blessed with so many. supervisor kim, supervisor yeee, supervisor cohen and supervisor dufty and those are just too name a few. for mercy, these opportunitis are just few and far between. we were talking earlier, barry and i about how many people st. anthony's sees on a regular basis. these 89 affordable housing units and one manager's unit is an unbelievable accomplishment. and the sad thing it's just a drop in the bucket compared to the need we have. i think all of you know that, which is why you are here today. we're blessed to have the leader here today and i wish all your colleagues in congress could be as supportive

as you have been over the years so people would understand the need. unfortunately with the situation that we have nationally, the funding for programs like this are really stretched and there is a lot the doubt if we'll see more of this funding in the future. it's phenomenal to have such a champion here today with us to bring that word back to the folks. [phra*-uplt/] >> i'm going to do more thank yous as we go through the process, but i wanted to just turn it over to barry to talk a little bit about this from the st. anthony's perspective. >> thank you, doug. it's already been said a number of times already today, this is exciting. many of us have been waiting a long, long time for this day. of course we're all here today to celebrate something new. but when i look out on all of you gathered here, i see something very familiar about this gathering. yes, we're here to break ground on something new, a new

buildings that will house the new st. anthony's dining room and 90 units of affordable housing for our seniors, sponsored by mercy. but when i look out and i see all of these different people gathered here, jones and golden gate, i'm sorry struck by how in so many ways it's very normal and natural. there is nothing different about today than other days. people hanging out, on this corner, is nothing new. yes, a new venture with mercy housing and st. anthony foundation in a very innovative and exciting collaboration. but also something very familiar. the francisans and sisters of mercy stepping up to help san francisco. [ applause ] there are some great old photos from right after the 1906

earthquake, and fire. one of them shows a line of people going right up the street here, on golden gate avenue, waiting for the francisans to feed them out of the rectory door of st. boniface and another photo of mercy sisters standing at a tent in golden gate park as they administered medicines and help to needy after the earthquake. for years this corner has been the place where people who have a little something extra come and share with those who have very little. in 1950 father alfred stood where they are standing today and recognized the dignity, and the struggles of those out of work, veterans suffering the effects of world war ii and those battling addictions. he brought together civic leaders, hotel owners, captains

of industry, and willing volunteers from the painters and electrical unions and that coming together on this street corner became st. anthony's dining room. after a few years, because there always seemed to be enough food to feed everyone, no one was ever sent away empty. this coming together became known as the miracle on jones street. our presence here today signals to all of san francisco that the miracle continues. we're not turning water into wine. we're not turning water into wine, not that kind of miracle. no we're transforming old auto body shops into a state-of-the-art dining room and homes for our senior citizens. the miracle continues. [ applause ] we're not walking on water or raising the dead, but we are

building homes and providing clothing and social services that will help people live lives of dignity and meaning. the miracle continues. we're not feeding thousands on the hillsides. wait, we are feeding thousands on the hillsides. [laughter ] on these slopes between nob hill and market street. the miracle continues as we construct the facility where another generation of san franciscans will come to reach out to those in need. the miracle continues. the miracle must continue, because we still have $2.5 million to pay the contractors to build this building. let this gathering here today be a statement of our confidence that this miracle will continue and that we will raise the needed funds to complete this project.

we must be miracle workers. so again, it's very exciting to see that today we are gathering at this blessed corner. i want to thank all of you for coming. the people who are responsible for this new building are here today. those who had the idea for it, those who designed it, those who donated or lent the funds to ensure its construction, the builders, and those who will benefit from it. some will speak today or be formally recognized, but in the tradition of this corner, and what has happened here for so long, people coming together, i want all of you now to turn to one another and congratulate yourselves. shake your neighbor's hand and say thank you for making this possible.

thank you. this coming together would not be that, namely a coming together, if we did not hear from one of our guests. one the people who benefit from the programs that we at st. antony's and mercies provide. i will introduce tyrone hopper, a graduate from the father alfred center, st. anthony's drug and rehab program. he presently works for the city and county of san francisco and this year will graduate with a ba in criminal justice. [ applause ] tyrone freelances as an interpreter in spanish including on-call assignments for the united nations, and he expects to be certified in mandarin next year. please welcome tyrone. [ applause ]

>> good afternoon everybody. i have to say i'm a bit overwhelmed today to be sharing the same stage with nancy pelosi, ed lee, susan coretand to look out here and see this sea of humanity and have people cheering for me. [ applause ] i'm overwhelmed and i'm humbled because just four years, nine months and six days ago, i was smoking crack. that is right. i was a drug addict. and almost five years later, here i am. miracles do happen! [ applause ] 60 years ago father alfred had

a vision. it started with his compassion for those in need. the vision was and still is for those in need to come out of poverty, and to thrive. this vision since 1950 has been giving those in need the natural and the spiritual food that they need in order to thrive. i am now thriving because of the vision of father alfred. [ applause ] >> i came through st. anthony's through the father alfred center, the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and i was instilled with values and morals that i was separated from through my drug use. after coming to the father alfred center they put me to

work in the dining center. i was not easy work, but gratifying and i got to hear the people actually say thank you for the work i was doing, but remember a short time before that i was on the streets, smoking crack. and now, today, i am able to come here and to give back to a foundation that gave so much to me. [ applause ] the clinic helped gave me medical and make sure everything was working okay and i was fit and in top shape. the tech lab got me acquainted with computers and email and google and facebook. and all of those things that we can't live without, right? social services got me back acquainted with getting my drivers' license back, because while i was on drugs i had lost

my driver's license. and how many of you know that in california it's really hard to get around without a car? can i get a witness? >> amen. >> i know work for the city and county of san francisco. i work over at san francisco general hospital, in the dietary department. i have been there for almost three years. [ applause ] >> i will be graduating from the university of phoenix this year with a degree in criminal justice. and as barry has already told you i freelances an interpret. he said that the dead are not resurrected here. i stand here before you to let you know that the dead will be resurrected. because my life was over before i came here and it has been resurrected all today. [ applause ]

thank you very much for taking the time to listen to me. my name is tyrone and i'm under construction. god speed to you all. [ applause ] >> thank you, tyrone. whew. [ [ laughter ] >> it is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you today one of our volunteers. this woman takes time etch year

to volunteer with her children and grandchildren. she comes when she is not otherwise occupied, like leading those in congress. nancy pelosi is used to speaking before representatives. she has been doing it for 25 years and she comes before us, representatives of all of san francisco and points beyond. she is used to celebrating occasions when those who have been excluded have been welcomed to something new and exciting. she has done it for women coming into the halls of congress. she has done it for seniors moving into housing. she has done it for those with hiv/aids gathering at the memorial grove. i could go on and on, but i would much rather hear her speak, so please welcome leadership nancy pelosi. [ applause ] >> thank you very much. thank you very much for your

very generous introduction, barry and for your great leadership at the st. anthony foundation, for the invitation to be here today with such distinguished guests. how about tyrone? is he something? [ applause ] but it's an honor to be with you barry, with susan swift, with doug shu-maker and our distinguished mayor, mayor lee. last time i saw him he was on the platform while president obama was delivering the inaugural address. susan corette, thank you for decades of generousity and service to our community across the board. and father harden, who is president of the st. anthony's foundation. thank you for your leadership. when barry talked about my bringing my children and grandchildren to serve meals over the years at st. anthony's dining room and others mentioned father alfred.

i was remembering father floyd. [ applause ] i told my children when father floyd told me. a long time ago, i said father floyd, what makes you be able to do this over and over -- year in and year out? that you never burn out? that you have a constant source of enthusiasm for administering to the needs of people in need? he said when i was growing up, my parents told me that god loved poor people in a very special way. and so that we all must love them in a very special way. and that was his motivation and i believe the motivation of many of us gathered here today. i know it is of where you are father? father from u.s. f? thank you for being here.

i see so many of you in the audience who have been so magnificent in this and here we are. coming together in a partnership, in a partnership between mercy housing; now it's mercy housing because it's the sisters of mercy, but it's mercy housing because that is what it is. and that is what it means to the people who benefit from it. and this collaboration with st. anthony's. the coming together of two forces of such magnitude, of such commitment, of such deep commitment, of such values that you know that the outcome is going to be -- not only benefit the people who are here, but also be a model for others. this is a collaboration, as has been said between mercy housing and st. anthony's and was example was non-profits come

together for the greater good. with their leadership and their being models, producing results of national significance, they, most of them have been able to to impact public policy and i know the mayor is right on the forefront of all of this. and thank you for your great leadership, mayor lee. [ applause ] and you know that we just had a little session with the cliffs, going over the cliff, not going over the cliff. but one of the things that we were determined to protect in that debate was the new markets tax credit, something that has benefited some of these kinds of initiatives throughout the country. so whether it was long ago and the low-income housing tax credit of which mercy housing has participated in over and over again and the new market tax credit, one of the current versions of the

story. or the section 8 vouchers or the rest of that, public policy has played a role. but we can only be successful in achieving the funding for that public policy if we have examples of national significance to say this must be a priority. and it is a priority because mercy housing and st. anthony's makes people the priority. results. deeds, not just words. the words are important, but they are no substitute for making something happen from it. we all know the gospel of matthew and i was hungry, you gave me to eat and that is what st. anthony's has done. when you were homeless, you gave me shelter and that is mercy housing and they have come together. it's not just about food and housing, but it's about dignity and stability and respect. respect for that spark of

divinity that exists in every person, respect for the possibilities as tyrone has pointed out to us and for giving back. god bless you, tyrone for not only turning your life around, but for giving back. [ applause ] so father, we have been together on many occasions, like this and father is the president of usf and he knows that this city of st. francis has been a city. when they talk about san francisco values, i take it in the most complimentary way. the values of st. francis and that is exactly what we are doing on this corner today, being channels of god's peace,

giving love and light where it had not existed. but to thank each and every one of you for what you do. our mayor has been sort of the catalyst. he is where a lot of this comes together, public policy, private philanthropy and non-profit collaborations all works with the spark that makes it just ignite in a much bigger way. and he has been really a champion in that regard, not just as the mayor of this city, but long before that in his various capacities in leadership in our city. so we thank him for that leadership. because of each and every one of you sitting here, and most of all because of the vips today, the vips, the people who will live here. they are the very important people today. [ applause ] because of those very important

people, this is a very important day in san francisco. and i'm very honored to be part of the proceedings. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> thank you so much leader pelosi for the kind words and sentiments that we all share of it's really an emotional thing to sit here withsome people caring so deeply about what happens on this site. it's a fabulous moment and thank you for bringing that together. it's my honor to introduce mayor lee, who i had the benefit of working for him for some time before he sent pe to the curb. [ laughter ] >> it's not really true, but it's a good story. the world that i inhabit, the world of affordable housing, there is no better praise than to call someone a "houser." i don't know that we had a houser has mayor quite the way we have

with mayor lee. for many of you, probably know this since the day he was in law school, representing tenants in chinatown, to make sure their living conditions were what they needed to be, he has been there from the very beginning and from the day and well before, no one had to explain to ed lee what affordable housing was for or why it mattered or what was important about it or why you needed to support it? so we have done something unbelievable in san francisco this past year under his leadership; which is despite the fact that the state has seen fit to remove literally a billion dollars in affordable housing funding from the dissolution of redevelopment agencies, no other mayor, no other board of supervisors stood up and said we're going to change the story. so with our board's leadership and with the mayor's leadership and with the support of many donors and many committed political folks, we passed an unbelievable measure that will provide funding for affordable housing

here in san francisco. it doesn't solve the problem, but it is a step way beyond what any other community in california has done. i want to thank the board and the mayor for their incredible leadership on this and invite up mayor ed lee. [ applause ] >> thank you, doug and thank you for your leadership at mercy housing. as you reconstruct your life. [ laughter ] anyway, let me first of all say it's a privilege to be with our board of supervisors, many of the members are here. our fire chief, our police chief, our homeless connectors, bevin, who has been on the streets and i will be out there with you tonight to do the homeless count as we need to do to make sure we're doing our best to cover everyone. barry said earlier this is a

lot of miracles happening and i will tell you this is the city of miracles, because we want those miracles to happen. we wish it to happen. lucille wouldn't be here without those miracles. [ applause ] world-class miracles, right? but there is a lot of challenges in our lives. and things that we're confronted with, but as doug kind of explained we got it together when we knew we were challenged. i think, i mean, i look at people, like leader pelosi, to give me the kind of personal incentive that i need to move things forward. because if you talk about someone who is fearless, you will go back to washington, d.c.. i mean, here in our setting, we have a lovely time, thanking each other, but when you go to d.c., and you know what she has

to face, you really appreciate her fearlessness. that cliff was real. the conversations are nasty. they are insensitive to our world of miracles here. we love and touch each other and we know what that feels. in d.c. it's hard to gain that with the conversations that they have there, but for her leadership, but for her connections but for her introductions to the federal agencies that we need so much their attention as they are stretched wide across this country with all of the needs, she has opened up those doors for me, for countless other mayors, for representatives of our different agencies to get that chance to present our case. so that our miracles can happen for each other. so nancy, thank you very much for your wonderful, wonderful leadership. [ applause ] and then to come back here and

celebrate with us on helping us turn the state on something that is going to happen that has been a miracle now, 38 million times for people in the last 60 years, father harden, that is just you and your staff. all of the volunteers, you know, the volunteers at the heart of the success of st. anthony's dining hall. [ applause ] >> i want to say that, because i have been at those kitchens. i have served meals. i know that it is tough to have people who are down and out in the worst times of their lives to be able to be introduced -- and we know it's more than a meal, but it gets started with a home-cooked meal. and then the hands come out and then the thoughts and hearts exchange and how can we help you? and that has been, i think, the ingredients for more than just a great meal. it's an ingredients of life and how we celebrate it here.

it is as leader pelosi said, it's our character of san francisco. and so it is also part to say not only do we add that with a new dining hall, but we add on top of that 90 units of affordable housing for our seniors. how wonderful can that be? [ applause ] that people in their years, when they are in need, the board of supervisors and the mayor's office and all of the volunteers working together to build consensus for the stories for more miracles in the city. and there is going to be more miracles to come. they are not just all in sports, by the way. [ laughter ] although by next week, we'll see another one. [ applause ] and when we do, leader pelosi will have two kinds of crab cakes to choose from. [ laughter ] but also, besides leader pelosi

has been a miracle worker, there is another miracle worker in our midst for another 30 year. the corette foundation i knew as a young attorney and filling the gaps where government couldn't make it happen. and we went to the corette foundation time and time again to ask for money to do housing advocacy, when we were doing education for tenants in public housing, the corette foundation was there. the last 30 years, the corette foundation has been there for the st. anthony's dining hall and in the last year, another $1 million in contributions from the corette foundation to make sure this dining hall go its chance to be rebuilt.

[ applause ] >> so st. anthony can increase their space by 42% in the land use and also build the housing. and while we are reminded there is still $2.5 million and i know we're going dig deep in our pockets to help get that done, because it will get done. miracles happen completely, not just partially. that i want to thank and recognize susan, because i know the transition from who we knew to be the face of the corette foundation happened years ago. she has picked it up with the greatest spirit, the greatest honor that can possibly be produced, the spirit of the corette foundation lives today through susan and her con stant donations. she was one of the very first when i was interim mayor and i said i need some of the philanthropic aid and i talked to william helman and what he did and